Nicholas Romanov was not sentimental about his lineage. (He was the great-great-grandson of Tsar Nicholas I.) Much in the same way, I imagine, hearing the stories of pogroms doesn't bring tears of nostalgia to subsequent generations of Russian Jews. He was born in France, for one thing. True, he was brought up in the Russian way, used the Julian calendar, had Russian staff catering to his every whim, was educated privately, in the Russian way, and was fluent in Russian. He just never lived there. In fact, he didn't even visit until he was 70-something. He wandered around Europe completely stateless but not terribly Russian. For most of his life Prince Nicholas traveled abroad on a letter issued by the King of Greece, and it wasn't till 1988 that he became a citizen of Italy. He limited his Russian affiliation to sitting atop the family foundation and consulting with the Russian government on how to finally bury all those murdered family members and staff. (All together, he advised.) There were lines of the family who disagreed with his position that the family should look forward, not back. There were cousins who wanted the old monarchy restored, and the Bolsheviks to get down on their knees and apologize. But what family doesn't have rifts like those? What's the fun of ceasing to rehash the old stories and perceived insults? I ask you.

Anyway, Kathi loves her royalty, especially when they die and give her solos like these. мир праху твоему.

--Amelia